Tracie Banister plays matchmaker for her heroine

Jan. 7, 2013
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by Joyce Lamb, USA TODAY

by Joyce Lamb, USA TODAY

In honor of tonight's season premiere of The Bachelor, Tracie Banister, author of In Need of Therapy, offers up the two bachelors and one not-a-bachelor available to provide her heroine's happy ever after.

Tracie: Relationships are the heart and soul of any romance novel, and readers of the genre always root for a heroine to find "the one," a man who will complement and appreciate her despite any quirks or baggage she might have. It's up to authors, like myself, to hook our creations up with their soul mates, but the path to true love is rarely unobstructed, sometimes we have to litter it with other hotties to make things more complicated for our heroines.

When I started writing my romantic comedy, In Need of Therapy, I felt as though I was channeling Jim Lange, the host of that delightfully cheesy game show The Dating Game (cue groovy '60s music). "A psychologist from Miami, she's here because her 30th birthday is looming and she wants to get her marriage-obsessed mother off her back. She enjoys eating carbs, watching Ryan Gosling movies, and overanalyzing things - meet Pilar Alvarez." (Applause, applause.) Following The Dating Game format, I wanted to give my bachelorette some options, three potential Mr. Rights who were wildly different, each having their own discernible assets and weaknesses.

â?¢ Bachelor #1 (Victor). For years, telenovelas have been a guilty pleasure of mine. I love the crazy plotlines, over-the-top characters, and passionate romances on these Latin American soaps (Ahem, I mean serialized dramas). So, when I decided to give Pilar an ex (perhaps future?) boyfriend who was Cuban, I knew I had to do my own interpretation of all those macho Latinos I'd seen on shows like Dame Chocolate and Destilando Amor. Victor doesn't do anything by halves, whether it be a grand romantic gesture (ardently declaring his feelings in a crowded restaurant, whisking his lady love off on a hot air balloon ride) or a jealous snit over the appearance of a rival.

Red flag: Victor has a wandering eye and cheated on Pilar repeatedly when they were together. He claims to have reformed, but can a leopard ever truly change its spots?

â?¢ Bachelor #2 (Mitch). With Mitch, I got to have a little fun with the whole bad-boy archetype. He's confident, flirtatious and undeniably appealing, but he's also a commitment-phobe, a problem he comes to Pilar for help with. Women love a project, don't they? During their sessions, Pilar gets to see sides of Mitch that no one else does - his vulnerability, his insecurity, his loneliness, which makes her wonder if there's more depth to him than she originally thought.

Selling points: Smokin' hot. Charismatic. Entertaining. Did I mention he was smokin' hot?

Red flag: He's a patient and getting romantically entangled with someone who's seeking treatment from her is a big no-no for the highly ethical Pilar.

â?¢ Not-a-Bachelor #3 (Ford). Propinquity can lead to familiarity, friendship and so much more, which is why women often fall in love with the boy-next-door. After Ford moves into the office across the hall from Pilar, they ease into a routine of eating lunch together, conferring on cases (Ford's a shrink, too!), and discussing their families, and they quickly form a bond. Can their relationship remain platonic or is Pilar's sister, Izzy, right when she says, "A man and a woman can't be 'just friends' forever. Sooner or later, an attraction will develop, and then the clothes will start flying."

Red flag: He's married. Fooling around with someone else's husband is another big no-no for Pilar. It doesn't stop her from being drawn to Ford, though.

By giving Pilar a trio of romantic possibilities, I hoped to provide readers with something for everyone as we all have different tastes in our fictional heroes. Some of us like the passionate alpha male while others gravitate toward the charming rogue or the knight in shining armor. I've received a lot of fun feedback from readers who've enthusiastically proclaimed their preference for one of Pilar's suitors. Now whether or not Pilar agrees with the majority, I can't say without getting spoilery, but after overcoming many obstacles, she does choose the man who is right for her and is headed towards her own happy ever after.

Tracie Banister is an author of humorous, romantic fiction. You can find out more about Tracie and her books at her blog and connect with her on Twitter (@traciebanister) and Facebook.